Brush holder



Sept. 29, 1970 A. CORTINA 3,531,073

I BRUSH HOLDER Filed April 2. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ANTHONY CORT/NA Bl A TTo/a/vEr A. CORTINA BRUSH HOLDER Sept. 29, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 2. 1968 INVENTOR ANTHONY CORT/NA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,531,073 BRUSH HOLDER Anthony Cortina, 11 Perry St., New London, Conn. 16320 Filed Apr. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 718,063 Int. Cl. A46b 17/02 U.S. Cl. 248-113 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The presently-disclosed invention is a brush holder having an improved paint-type can gripping means which provides an adjustable brush holding means for vertically supporting a brush over a paint-type can at any one of a variety of levels.

My invention relates to an improved holder for a brush, such as a paint brush. More particularly, the present invention relates to a brush holder having an improved paint-type can gripping means and an adjustable brush holding means for vertically supporting a brush over a paint-type can at any one of a variety of levels.

My brush holder is adapted to support a brush over an open paint or solvent can so that it may be suspended within the solvent or over the contained paint such that drippings will return to the container; or in an alternate position, to support the brush on the side of the container. The brush holder may be simply and inexpensively formed of a relatively narrow strip of material, conveniently metal, although plastic materials may also prove useful.

My brush holder, moreover, has improved fastening means cooperating with the grooved annular cover sealing edge of a typical paint-type can, for quick, firm and more secure fastening. The improved fastening means hereof tends to cooperate with either or both the underside or outside of the cover receiving annular groove of a painttype can.

The present construction provides improved means for supporting, and in particular for supporting at a variety of vertical levels, a brush within or outside of a paint-type container. In modified construction the supported brush may be entirely outside of the paint-type can. The brush handle support is flexibly adjustable to receive variously sized brush handles.

Other improvements, objects and advantages will be inherent in the description and illustrations comprising the several drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a fixed vertical position brush holder of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the brush holder of FIG. 1 with improved means in gripping position on a paint-type can;

FIG. 3 shows a simplified version of the present brush holder with improved means for gripping a paint-type can;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the brush holder having vertically adjustable brush holding means;

FIG. 5 illustrates, in greater detail, the base element of the holder of FIG. 4 with improved means for gripping a paint-type can;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the holder of FIG. 4 with the added feature of a slotted, vertically-adjustable brush holder;

FIG. 7 illustrates the brush gripping element of FIG. 6 in greater detail;

FIG. 8 shows in greater detail the brush gripping element of FIG. 7 in vertically slotted position;

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein a second variety of paint brush gripping element is illustrated to that of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 shows, in greater detail, the brush gripping element of FIG. 9.

In the following description of the figures, like elements Patented Sept. 29, 1970 are represented by similar numerals throughout the several views.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a brush holder 10 having substantially right-angled U-shaped bracket 12 having slightly inwardly curved or arcuate leg 14 and substantially vertical extended bracing leg 16 relative thereto. Brush holder 10 includes vertically projecting upholder 18 formed to about 30 degrees to substantially vertical extended bracing leg 16 for best strength support position. Upholder 18 may be formed to retain brush gripping holder 20 or claws, generally a U-shaped strip of material removably retained to upholder 18 by leg 22 disposed in a complementary angle of about 30 degrees to upholder 18 as is bracing leg 16. Supporting vertically projecting leg 24 having looped end 26 securely and positively retains brush gripping holder 20 in position. FIG. 2 further illustrates a typical paint-type can 30 with grooved annular cover sealing edge 28. It is evident that brush holder 10 may thus be formed of two basic elements, i.e., an integrally-formed base member formed of a relatively narrow element bracket 12, upholder 18 and means for retaining brush gripping holder 20. For convenience, holder 20 may be separately formed.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified version of the present invention which is a brush holder 32 having substantially right angled U-shaped bracket 12 having corresponding can gripping elements 14 and 16 described for brush holder 10. Vertically disposed upholder 34 having a vertically widening area supports a brush, not shown, by oppositely disposed horizontal wings 36 and 38 in the plane of upholder 34 and positioned over brush receiving slot 40 formed in the body of upholder 34.

FIG. 4 illustrates vertically adjustable brush holder 42 having paint-type can gripping means 44 including elements 12, 14 and 16, described in connection with brush holder 10. With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, bracing arm 44 having channel-forming legs 46 and 48 all disposed substantially parallel to leg 16, is provided with aperture 50 to receive pin 52. Pin 52 may be a headed type pin for insertion into provided holes 54 of brush support 56 formed as a narrow brush support plate 58 having substantially perpendicularly disposed brush gripping arms 59 and 60. The gripping arms may be formed directly from plate 58, if desired. Desirably, brush holder 42 is formed of three basic and individual elements, i.e., headed type pin 52, paint-type can gripping means 44, and narrow brush support plate 58 having positioned gripping arms projecting therefrom.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrating in detail elements thereof, show a further embodiment brush holder 62 including paint-type can gripping means 44 having related elements 14, and 1 6, to those of FIG. 1, and related can elements 28 and 30 of FIG. 2. Brush supporting upholder 64 formed of a relatively narrow sheet of material is positioned substantially vertical and substantially at 180 degrees relative to or parallel to leg 16. Correspondingly positioned indented edge slots 66 are formed at a series of levels to provide variety in positioning brush supporting element 68.

Brush supporting element 68 is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 7 and in supporting position in FIG. 8. Brush supporting element 68 includes cantilevered arms 70 and 72, body arms 74 and 76 contributing to supporting effectiveness, base body 78 with un-slotted portion of upholder bearing at its slotted portion into narrow slot or lodge 80 against, back brace 82 which is positioned approximately degrees to base body 78. A slot 92 is provided having a width slightly larger than the width of brush supporting upholder 64 for sliding adjustment of the supporting element 68. Slot 92 thus provides a convenient means for advancing brush supporting element 68 to any desired vertical height in indented slots 66 merely 3 by pivoting brush supporting element 68 to upholder 64 for release and repositioning. Base body 78 in contact with indented slots 66 aids supports element 68 while being retained by lodge 80 against un-slotted portion of the upholder 64.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment of the present brush holder with brush supporting wire element 88, and other elements as defined hereinbefore. Wire element 88 may be vertically positioned similar to brush supporting element 68, in slotted indented slots 66 of upholder 64.

As more clearly illustrated in FIG. 10, wire element 88 may be formed to include bowed brush gripping legs 90 and 92 and generally S-shaped body looped to form slot projections 94 and 96 and back brace 98, disposed substantially perpendicularly to legs 90 and 92 and formed with vertically positioned brace legs 100 and 102.

Great advantages are present in the manner of securing the present brush holder. The holder by its angle construction is stronger and may be of small, narrow dimensions, narrower in width and thickness of both vertical and horizontal flanges. The present holder is secured more firmly and is more easily mounted, snapped into secure position as well as easily removed from the open top of the container, with no danger of falling 011 in use, and with less danger of paint smearing over the hands of the operator when engaging and disengaging the holder.

As thus described, the present brush holder is provided having several improved elements of construction. Great rigidity is available in the clamping means for fixing the holder securely to the open top of a painttype container and for securely supporting a brush over the open container or outside of it, as desired. The brush holder may be vertically positioned in an embodiment holder. Further, can gripping means is available for mounting with claw-like fingers to the groove of a painttype container, tightly securing in a single snap-fastening operation the entire brush holder assembly upon the open container. In the several figures it is evident that great flexibility to position, mount and remove, as well as secure fastening, is achieved while in some of the modifications with vertical positioning, substantial strength is also available while allowing knockdown construction for packaging and shipment.

Certain modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and, accordingly, it is intended that the description given be regarded as illustrative and not limiting, except as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A brush holder comprising a substantially rightangled, U-shaped bracket formed of relatively narrow sheet material and having a slightly inwardly curved leg and a cooperative substantially vertically extending bracing leg, both legs joined by a horizontally disposed base, said bracket being mountable with its base extending across the grooved edge of an open paint-type container, having an outer beaded rim, with the curved leg extending around and gripping said beaded rim, and an upholder integrally disposed to said substantially vertical extending bracing leg, and having brush supporting means mounted thereon.

2. The brush holder of claim 1 wherein the upholder is vertically widening in area and the brush supporting means is formed as oppositely disposed horizontal wings in the plane of the upholder and formed over a brush receiving slot cut from the body of the upholder.

3. The brush holder of claim 1 wherein the upholder is positioned about 30 degrees to said extended bracing leg and includes generally U-shaped strip brush retaining claws, said claws removably secured to the upholder by a leg downwardly vertically positioned to an angle of about 30 degrees to said upholder and by an upwardly vertically positioned bracing leg integrally formed with said leg downwardly positioned, said bracing leg having a looped end for positive gripping of said brush holder.

4. The brush holder of claim 1 wherein the brush supporting means is vertically adjustable in the upholder.

5. The brush holder of claim 4 wherein the upholder is provided with correspondingly positioned indented edge slots; and wherein the brush supporting means comprises cantilevered arms horizontally positioned for receiving a brush, said arms projecting from a base body having an upholder bearing lodge slightly larger than the 7 remaining area of upholder intermediate said slots, and a back brace positioned approximately degrees to said base body, said back brace having a slot removed therefrom of slightly wider length than the width of the upholder.

6. The brush holder of claim 4 wherein the upholder is provided with correspondingly positioned indented edge slots; and wherein the brush supporting means comprises a brush supporting wire element having generally bowed brush gripping legs as the terminal portion of a modified S-shaped body looped to form slot projections and forming a back brace, said back brace perpendicularly disposed to said legs.

7. The brush holder of claim 1 wherein the brush supporting means is a vertically adjustable upholder having a series of holes therethrough at various vertical levels, and brush gripping arms projecting substantially perpendicular from one end of said upholder, said upholder adjustable in a channel support having a slot therethrough for receiving a pin for projection through one of said holes of the upholder for support thereof in the channel support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 568,121 9/1896 Varian 248113 X 1,343,381 6/1920 Afranel 248l13 X 2,542,737 2/1951 Vogel 248-111 X 2,557,694 6/1951 Sagen 2481 13 2,674,391 5/1954 Davis 248--113 X 2,931,608 4/1960 Farah 248l06 3,357,668 12/1967 Carrel 2481 13 X CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 243-474, 300 

